Part 23 (1/2)
The fish was rising.
”It would be a martyrdom,” I went on. ”What is my life worth--even to the State”--I thought that was a clever touch--”in exchange for such a sacrifice?”
Praise G.o.d for her quick wits! She saw that I was acting, and fell into her part with supreme naturalness. A wail of pain came from her, and she covered her face with her hands. ”I cannot let you die,” she cried. ”Do I not love you? Is not your life of supreme value?”
I spoke in a tone of hardly veiled eagerness: ”But your own happiness, what of that?”
Connie made a pa.s.sionate gesture of renunciation. She turned to our torturer. ”Sir,” she said, ”have you no mercy, no compa.s.sion?”
”I have nothing but one overmastering need.”
”Then leave us. Let me be alone with Sir John for a few minutes.” She beckoned to him and he came, leaning his head low.
”Go,” she whispered. ”I cannot persuade him while you are here. Leave us alone and I will do my best.”
The fool was wax in her hands. That one confidential whisper seemed to have transformed him.
”Yes, I'll go,” he said, but I heard every word. ”I don't think our friend will take much persuading! You may be glad to marry a _man_, after all!”
He was half-way to the door when suspicion took hold of him. ”How do I know that you won't be up to some trick?” he snarled; ”try to loose him or something? Not that there would be any chance of escape if you did.”
”I give you my word of honour,” Connie answered, ”or you can tie me up, too. That would be the best way. Fasten me in this chair so that I can't move.”
Helzephron shook his head impatiently. Then the door banged and we were alone.
I began to speak at once. There was no time to waste.
”Dearest love of my heart, it is good-bye. We have managed to s.n.a.t.c.h these few moments for farewell.”
Her face shone with love and courage as she smiled at me. ”Is there no way, darling?”
”None. This is the end. We have fooled that devil for a minute. When he returns and finds out the end will come quickly. Now, listen....”
In a few sentences I told her exactly how matters stood, and of my certainty that Helzephron's course was almost run. Nor did I disguise from her that in any attack upon the Pirate s.h.i.+p her own fate was sure.
”What does it matter? I should kill myself, anyhow, rather than submit to one touch from him. I have the means ready. Oh, my love, I am prouder of you at this moment than I ever was!”
How I rejoiced in her! Never for a single instant had she believed that I would let her do this thing. It was not even spoken of between us. It was worth while dying for love and trust like this!
”And you see, dear love,” she went on, ”it will not be long. We shall be together again in a few hours, never to part any more....”
Very solemnly and quietly we said farewell. Neither of us was unhappy. A great exaltation and peace consoled us, but the moment is too sacred for description here.
I gave one last look at her serene and radiant face, striving to image it upon my brain, so that it should be the last thing I saw, and then I called for Helzephron with a strong voice.
From the first instant that he stepped into the room and saw our faces, he knew the truth.
He was very quiet, but his eyes shone again with the dull red light that you may sometimes see in a dog's eyes. One could almost have pitied him, for he was as one who desired even one drop of living water to cool his tongue and was tormented in a flame.